The area around the
Annapurna massif is perhaps the best known trekking destination and is
certainly the most popular for trekking in Nepal located in the mid west of
Nepal bounded in the west by the Barbung Khola and Dolpo, and in the east by
the Budhi Gandaki, the mountains of central Nepal are dominated by the
Dhaulagiri and Annapurna. T he main Himalayan range runs south of the border
with Tibet means that the northern parts of the area are in the rain shadow and
are considerably drier than the southern slopes of the mountains which leads to
unusually diverse landscapes. The The Annapurna region covers a wide range of
trekking destinations from well-developed trail to Annapurna Base Camp to treks
in remote semi-wilderness areas and requiring special permit trail. Between
these two mountains runs the valley of the Kali-Gandaki River, the deepest
gorge on earth. Combine this with lush, fertile farming land, stands of
undistributed natural forest and a mixture of different ethnic inhabitants and
you have a diverse range of scenic experiences that makes this area one of the
most satisfying trekking destinations in Nepal.

Permits and Fees

For most of the Annapurna
trekking area, no trekking permits are required. The exception is upper Mustang
where a fee of US$700 per person is levied for a ten-day visit.

Most of the area is within the area controlled by Annapurna Conservation Area
Project. Entry to this area is controlled and an entry permit has to be purchased.
The permit must be purchased before starting the trek and can be obtained in
Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Access

Regardless of the trek
chosen it is most likely that Pokhara will be either starting or ending point
of your trek. For road travel there are a number of tourist buses available
daily from Kathmandu.

For those trekking in the eastern side of the Annapurna massif the most likely
starting point will be Besishahar, the district headquarters of Lamjung
district. Buses from Kathmandu, Pokhara and the Terai arrive and depart here on
a regular daily basis. The bus trip from Kathmandu to Besishahar takes around
four to five hours but, at this time, there are no tourist bus services
available. Most treks starting or ending in Pokhara will require the use of
buses or hired cars to reach the trailheads.

There are air strips in Jomsom and Manang so flight can be arranged as per
your destination and schedule. However there are no direct flight from Katmandu
but daily from Pokhara in the season and alternately in off-season

Flora and Fauna

The range of geographical
and climatic regions has led to a diverse variety of flora and fauna within the
Annapurna region too. From heavily cultivated and the landscape, terraced paddy
fields to forest of oak, beech and rhododendron then a coniferous forests of
pine and, ultimately, juniper just below the tree line. In the rain shadow, to
the north of the mountains, the landscape is quite barren being an extension
south of the Tibetan plateau. Here there are only stunted bushes and shrubs
except for close to the rivers where irrigated cropping is possible. The native
animals to be seen here include many birds the most obvious being the pika,
blue sheep and Himalayan Thar.

Trails and facilities

Most of the trekking
routes in the Annapurna region are well serviced by tea-houses. This is
particularly true for most popular treks-the Jomsom trek, the Annapurna circuit
and Annapurna base camp treks. Trekkers should be aware, however that there is
always the risk of being stranded by bad weather or injury/sickness between tea-houses, particularly in the more remote parts of the trek itineraries. a
good example is on the Annapurna circuit where there is one very long day when
the high pass of Thorong La has to be crossed. There is no shelter available
for most of this day and some trekkers have been caught unprepared by bad
weather and altitude problems. The treks in less developed areas, particularly
Siklis, Royal trail, Mustang, Dhaulagiri and other village stay trek,
definitely require trekkers to be fully organized.

People and Culture

The most prominent ethnic
groups in the Annapurna region are the Gurung, the Thakali and the Manange.
Their heartland, however, is centered on the hills and valleys between the
Marsyandi river and the kali Gandaki. The Thakali come from the upper kali
Gandaki valley around Jomsom where their traditional farming has being
supplemented by trade and, in particular, hotel and restaurant businesses. The
Manange are found in the upper reaches of the Marsyandi River and are in many
ways similar to the Gurungs to whom they are possibly related. They are skilled
traders and trace their roots back to Tibet. Religiously, the Manange and the
Gurungs of the upper hills is Buddhist with traces of their ancient, shamanistic
faith still apparent. The communities live further south are predominantly
Hindu. All of the communities, particularly the Gurungs are famed for their
cultural performances, which are easily seen while trekking in the region.

Season

The best times to trek in
are during spring and autumn. Spring is the time for rhododendrons while the
clearest skies are found after the monsoon in October and November. At these
times the weather is generally mild and there is little rainfall. The monsoon,
from June to September, is the ideal time to visit pats of the region that
falls in the rain shadow. Particularly, upper mustang is the perfect
destination during the rainy season. The winter months provide good trekking
conditions throughout the foothills but some of the higher passes will be
closed due to snow.

Trekking Trips in Annapurna Region

Supposed to be one of the best trails for the trekkers. Few places in the worlds have such a splendid variety of natural beauty as the Annapurna region. It is a rare combination of long arrays of snow capped peaks, crystal clear lakes, turbulent rivers with deep gorges, Tibetan monasteries, hot-springs, and picturesque villages inhabited by simple and friendly local people.

Few regions of the great Himalaya remain few people traveled. The
ancient former kingdom of Mustang in western Nepal is one of them when King were governing Nepal. Only a
handful of foreigners have crossed the high passes to the valley of
Tholung wherein lies the palace of Lo-Manthang, the seat of the former King of
Mustang, who was living there. The region was forbidden to
foreigners until 1992 and till today remains a controlled region so only .....

A trek to Annapurna Base Camp in the heart of Annapurnas starting from
Pokhara, is a hidden alpine amphitheater, overshadowed by surroundings
ice-bound giants of 20,000ft and more. Actually this trek is with few
altitude problems, providing you with unparalleled access to spectacular
horizons of snowy peaks, so high that you'll find yourself looking
twice before you believe that they are not clouds.

Ghorepani trek visits the thriving Gurung settlement of Ghandruk, where many
ex-Gurkha soldiers run cozy lodges. It winds through the magical
rhododendron forest that inspired the setting for the Hobbit trilogy. At
Ghorepani, the ridgeline trail meets a major trade route, plied by
donkey trains carrying loads north toward Tibet. An early morning climb
up to Poon Hill (3,200m/ 10,500ft) rewards you with panoramic views...

Just doing half of Annapurna Circuit: fly up one of the deepest gorges
in the world - squeezing between Annapurna I and Dhaulagiri I, both
8,000m - and land at Jomsom (2,700m / 8,858ft) amidst the stunning high
desert scenery of the upper Kali Gandaki river. This trek will take you
to Pilgrimage site of Muktinath, a millennia-old holy spot, and sight
visit of ancient fortress settlements. Then we trek back to Jomsom and
down to Pokhara.

Mardi Himal a long rising ridge that forms the south westerly slope of
Mt. Machhapuchhre, just below its sheer south face. This combines the
Annapurna Base Camp trail and Mardi Himal a wilderness and off the
beaten track giving trekkers an opportunity to explore beautiful scenery
of south face of Mardi Himal and Mt. Machhapuchhre Himalayas